Usman Khawaja missed a century in the country of his birth as Australia’s top batsmen made full use of a quiet wicket to reach 271-2 on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan on Sunday.
Khawaja, whose family moved to Australia at the age of four, dropped two catches to score 97 as his opening partner. David Warner (68) and Marnus Labuschagne (69 not out) also scored aggressive half-centuries.
“It’s a little disappointing, I would have liked 100 people here in Rawalpindi-Islamabad, where I grew up and heard a lot about it from my family,” Khawaja said.
“I was having a lot of fun. I was enjoying playing and when you put it in perspective, I wasn’t even in the Australian team a few months ago, so I’m very grateful to be here and happy that I finally Contributed to the team.”
Poor light and heavy clouds called the third day’s play 21 overs ahead of schedule as Australia’s batsmen were successful on a grassless wicket.
Australia are still trailing by 205 runs in their first Test in Pakistan in 24 years, as the home team declared at 476-4 late on the second day.
Labuschagne, who hit nine fours, scored his half-century in stormy conditions in a brief final session and vice-captain Steve Smith Was unbeaten on 24 when the umpire took the players off the field.
The flat wicket hasn’t changed in the last three days to offer any assistance to the bowlers, with the batsmen having dominated all nine seasons.
Pakistan’s only productive period with the ball came when its spinners claimed the wickets of Khawaja and Warner in the second session.
Khawaja had survived the second chance when wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for 62 was unable to grab a quick chance from a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Nauman Ali (1-49).
However, he attempted the same extraordinary shot again against Nauman and was caught close to the wicket when Pakistan successfully called for a televised review against onfield umpire Aleem Dar’s not out decision. Replays show that Khawaja gloved the ball after passing it to Imam-ul-Haq at short leg.
Khawaja’s entertaining innings lasted just three-and-a-half hours as Australia scored 3.71 runs per over on the third day with 15 boundaries in 159 balls.
Earlier, Khawaja and David Warner (68) shared a quick 156-run opening wicket partnership as Pakistan’s pace attack was struggling like its Australian counterpart earlier and could not make any lateral movement.
Warner exchanged pleasant smiles with Pakistan pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who tested the left-hander with some short pitches, but the left-hander made some fine drives on both sides of the wicket. exercised his right.
Warner hit 12 fours before he was clean bowled by offspinner Sajid Khan (1-94), who slipped off the pitch as the left-hander tried to cut the backfoot and missed the line of the ball .
Earlier, resuming 5-0, the Australian left-arm openers were troubled by the opening pace of both Afridi and Naseem and did not let the two specialist spinners Sajid and Nauman settle down. Both hit 23 boundaries in the first session when Pakistan bowled 32 overs.
Pakistan came close to dismissing Khawaja for 22, but Afridi’s fifth over saw Fawad Alam leave an easy opportunity on the street. Khawaja insulted the injury by hitting three consecutive boundaries against the left-arm pacer.
Khawaja reached his half-century off 67 balls with eight fours, while Warner completed his half-century off 86 balls with nine fours in his first over after dismissing off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed for three.
Pakistan’s batsmen Azhar Ali (185) and Imam-ul-Haq (157) had scored centuries before Pakistan declared their first innings.